12th January 2016

Dear Colleague

Happy New Year to you all! Please accept our sincere apologies, staff illness and workload commitments prior to Christmas meant that we have been delayed in sending this information to you. Thankfully we are all back on form.

Thank you for your continued support of the Spaced Learning Project. I am happy to report that we are now in a position to provide information about the upcoming research and your involvement with this.

There are four main elements to the research, in chronological order they are: 1. Pre-testing; 2. Training; 3. Implementation and 4. Post-testing. Each of these stages is described in more detail below including time-lines, and time required for your contribution.

1. Pre-testing - This will be a 40min science test for all the Year 10 children in your school who have their teacher trained how to implement Spaced Learning by the Spaced Learning trainers. It will take approximately 40 minutes to administer the session to the Year 10 year group. A Year 10 class teacher will be required to assist in this session for classroom management purposes only. These sessions will be scheduled between Wed 3rd Feb and Friday 12th February. Dr Patrick Stark will be in contact to schedule this pre-testing session with the relevant Year 10 classes.

2. Training - This training session is a pre-requisite for all teachers who wish to be nvolved in the spaced learning research. Furthermore, pre-testing should occur before Year 10 class teachers can be trained. There are several training sessions available: between 15th Feb and 26th February. As you will see we are offering both daytime and twilight sessions on each of the dates below. All training will take place at NDHS in Sheffield. Please book in using the following link http://goo.gl/forms/ikG1LnWdpy

or let us know if you have any issues preventing you from doing this.

Training Schedule

Dates Time15th February 10.00 -12.00 + 4.00 - 6.00PM16th February 10.00 -12.00 + 4.00 - 6.00PM17th February 1.30 -.3.30 + 4.00 - 6.00PM

22nd February 10.00 - 12.00 + 4.00 - 6.00PM23rd February 10.00 - 12.00 + 4.00 - 6.00PM24th February 1.30 - 3.30 + 4.00 - 6.00PM

A teacher’s attendance will be required for one of those dates and times given, you may choose only one of the dates and times listed. We are able to accommodate up to 25 people at each session and will be running training on all six days. It is a two hour session and can be booked on-line at the following link (ihttp://goo.gl/forms/ikG1LnWdpy) . I will follow up with all teachers about training and will endeavour to answer any queries regarding the training sessions as they arise (see contact details below).

3. Implementation - At the training the Year 10 teachers will be advised of how to implement the Spaced Learning programme using the materials provided in the session. It will require three 50 minute revision sessions (ideally over three consecutive days). Teachers will be asked to complete the programme implementation within two-three weeks of their training session, i.e., between 29th

February and 18th March.

4. Post-testing - The final request of the school is to complete post-testing. Similar to pre-testing this will be a 40min science test for all the Year 10 children in your school who have their teacher trained on how to implement Spaced Learning by the Spaced Learning trainers. It will take approximately 40 minutes to administer the session to the Year 10 year group. Again, a Year 10 class teacher will be required to assist in this session for classroom management purposes only. These post-testing sessions will occur 3-4 weeks after implementation and be scheduled between Wed 23rd March and Friday 15th April (i.e., shortly before or shortly after the Easter holidays dependant on your implementation date). Dr Patrick Stark will also be in contact to schedule this pre-testing session with the relevant Year 10 class teachers.

Summary of dates for your diary

Activity Date RangePre-test Wed 3rdFeb and Friday 12th FebruaryTraining Mon 15th Feb and Friday 26th FebruaryImplementation Mon 29th February and Friday 18th MarchPost-test Wed 23rd March and Friday 15th April

(i.e., shortly before or after Easter Holidays)

Please ensure you make a note of these dates and alert your school timetabling staff as you may need to ‘fit’ in spaced learning lessons either as part of your normal timetable or as bespoke lessons.

We asked for your dates for half term and the Easter Break and you are in the process of sending these through to us – many thanks to those who have replied already, it has been much appreciated.

Please book in for the training dates above on the booking forms and ensure you fill in all fields – we will confirm your requested booking and send further attendance details nearer the time.

If there are any issues/questions about any of the above, please do get back to me, I am here to help ensure the smooth progress of this research project.

Other Information

Costs

You will receive a separate costs letter detailing how much each school will be allocated for participation in this research and how to claim monies. That letter is also attached in this email.

Newsletter

Please can you all send me 150 word pen portraits with a picture (if you wish) of your background and views of Spaced Learning for the newsletter. WARNING ###### We request you please not to delve into anything to do with Spaced Learning if you have no knowledge of it. All I require currently is that your pen portrait should include a brief summary of how you have come to participate in our project focusing particularly on why you have joined our research and what you hope to gain through taking part in it. WARNING #####

Please email me or bring on memory stick when you come for training – we require this from every teacher taking part by Friday 26 th February .

If any of you would like to keep a journal of your Spaced Learning Journey then please talk to me about this as it would be a wonderful piece for our final newsletter to be published in the Summer of 2016.

If you have any further queries please don’t hesitate to contact me.

We look forward immensely to working with you.

All the best from the whole Spaced Learning Team.

Farhana

Ms Farhana ZamanResearch and Development Project Manager for the Spaced Learning Project

Hallam Teaching Schools Alliance

N O T R E   D A M E   H I G H   S C H O O L Fulwood Road, Sheffield, S10 3BTTel. 0114 2302536   Ext: 278 www.notredame-high.co.uk http://hallamTSA.org.uk